INSIDE NASHVILLE with Tom Moran

This week Tom bids us farewell with this final episode of Inside Nashville. He talks about the reasons for it and offers some advice going forward to Nashville record labels, songwriters, terrestrial country radio....and we country music lovers / consumers. It's a sad day. Inside Nashville has been a breath of good, honest, fresh air.

This week, in Part 2, Tom continues his conversation with former Sony Music President John Grady. John shares stories about his Sony years...how he got the job, his many signings (Gretchen Wilson, Miranda Lambert, and more) and successes....and the corporate merger that led to his (and Tom's) exit. He then takes us through his post-Sony career as a artist manager (Ashley Monroe, Keith Urban, Lady A...) and to his most recent (I hesitate to say final) stop as President of IRS Nashville Records. Tom has never had a more accomplished, entertaining and candid guest. This could be Inside Nashville's best yet and is not to be missed.

This week Tom sits with his good friend and former Sony Nashville President John Grady. John shares his incredible career's journey with us along with great stories about each stop along the way. From his beginnings working Peter Frampton, to his days working with Tom at Arista Records with artists like Kenny G, Whitney Houston, The Grateful Dead, and more...then to his Capitol Records years with Paul McCarney, MC Hammer and more...through his time at Mercury Nashville with Billy Ray Cyrus, Shania Twain, and the O Brother Where Art Thou project....and more. John is a unique, interesting, and funny man....and a great story teller. This could be Inside Nashville's best yet...and that is saying something. Don't miss it!

This week Tom reports on some big news...the long awaited, important copyright rule legislation, "black box money", iHeart's bankruptcy reorganization plan, Warner and Sony selling their Spotify stock, and the 2017 global music numbers. He then answers some non-harsh mail about Carrie Underwood vs. Miranda Lambert, Faith Hill, some of his favorite artists that he's worked with...Ashley Monroe, Blake, Van Zant, Maggie Rose, and more. He also tells us about how he got his start in the business and finishes with the song that got him into Turnpike Troubadours. It's a good one!

This week Tom talks with one of country radio and music's most revered executives....Dale Turner. Dale was a leading programmer and air personality at many country radio stations and worked at RCA Records for many years with some of the biggest artists in history....Ronnie Milsap, Keith Whitley, The Judds, Alabama, and many, many others. He also helped start Disney's Nashville label with Rascal Flatts. Dale has stories....and is a great storyteller. This is a DO NOT MISS episode.

This week Tom takes us through the ACM Awards highlighting the production values... the good, bad, and "meh" performances... the awards themselves...and the annual flood of new releases coming after the telecast. Candor is the signature of Inside Nashville and this episode is a perfect example of that. Don't miss it!

This week Tom walks us through the Spotify IPO and Sony's role in it, as well as iHeart Radio's bankruptcy. He answers the question...are young artists like Maren Morris and Sam Hunt changing the sound of country music? He then gets into new albums from Kacey Musgraves and Ashley McBryde, and Nashville's tribute to the great Elton John and Bernie Taupin. This episode epitomizes the honesty that Inside Nashville is known for...so don't miss it! Subscribe at insidenasvhille.net and never miss an episode.

In this episode Tom visits with a legend in the world of small market radio promotion....Jerry Duncan. Jerry is a legend in the field. They talk about how independent artists don't need to spend tens of thousands of dollars on major market radio promotion to build a career. It's episode that every aspiring independent artist needs to hear.

This week Tom runs down the ACM nominations and what they got right, wrong,...and how he could've done better. He asks...what's next for Spotify now that they're a public company? and... Why is Facebook making a deal with Warner Bros? He let's us know about a new SiriusXM channel and how the UK's C2C festival went. He answers some harsh mail about last week's episode with former CMT President Brian Philips, Miranda Lambert, and a bit of love from a loyal listener. He closes with a rave about and a song from the talented new artist...Ashley McBryde. If it's refreshing honesty you want....look no further than Inside Nashville.

This week Tom brings us Part 2 of his conversation with former CMT President, legendary radio programmer, and industry leader....Brian Philips. In Part 1 Brian talked about his radio days and in Part 2 he gets into his days running CMT. He gets into how CMT Crossroads came about, how he took the CMT Awards to a place of prominence in the industry, the introduction of scripted series to the channel, and his plans for the future. It's a rare and candid look into Brian's career. Tom closes with one of his favorite songs from one of his country crushes.

This week Tom talks with former CMT President and iconic radio programmer Brian Philips. Brian's history of success in both TV and radio is unmatched in Nashville. He is also the only radio programmer to be recognized with awards in four different formats. This conversation is split into two episodes. This week's part 1 deals with Brian's radio years and next week he talks about CMT and his plans for the future. While Brian is quick to discuss business...he rarely talks about himself and his career, so this is a rare glimpse into a true industry power. Subscribe at insidenashville.net and never miss an episode.

This week Tom explores the reasons why The Voice can't produce a star. He explains why even the short-lived Nashville Star created more stars. He shares some news about Garth winning what could be his most significant award and a big change at the ACM's. He answers some harsh mail accusing him of being no more than a "hater's site"... assigning meaningless labels to music...and yet more mail about sexual harassment. He closes with a thought about recently departed Daryle Singletary and Tom's favorite song of his. Subscribe at insidenashville.net and never miss an episode.

This week Tom looks at the Top 20 in search of country songs. He then asks and examine's what is wrong with Sony Nashville. He examines yet another high profile case of sexual harassment in the music business....while country music remains silent. He tells us about some good and bad new releases and ends the episode with one of his favorite current country songs. Subscribe at insidenashville.net and never miss an episode.

Tom talks with legendary Nashville studio owner Jay Vernali. In the 38 years that Jay has been in Nashville as a studio musician and owner there is nothing he hasn't seen and heard. He is an entertaining storyteller with a vast amount of stories to tell. He talks about his beginnings in the business and working with the likes of Chet Atkins, Bobby Bare, Lorrie Morgan, Lonestar, Gretchen Wilson, Garth, and many, many more. Jay is also an active member of the Music Row Association that is fighting to preserve the culture of The Row in the face of the real estate developer invasion going on right now....thus the title "Mayor of Music Row". This is a good one, so don't miss it! Subscribe at insidenashville.net and never miss an episode.

This week Tom gives his take on the Grammy awards.... the good, the bad, and the terrible along with country music's place on the show. He doesn't hold back...including in his assessment of rap music and some of the production decisions. He then delves into sexual harassment in country music and the blanket of silence that enables it. He also gives a report on the state of the podcast and it's future. He closes with a thought about the very talented Lari White who passed away last week and shares a terrific song of hers. If you like truth you will love this episode! Subscribe at insidenashville.net and never miss an episode

This week Tom treats us to a conversation with his good friend with an incredible voice....Shelly Fairchild. While Shelly has veered off of a country path, her virtuosity is so special that she fits comfortably in any conversation about music. She talks about her childhood and how she got to Nashville. Tom and Shelly than share the story of working together at Sony music how what it was like for Shelly being a gay woman navigating the Nashville waters. But mostly they talk about music and...

This week Tom looks at Spotify's IPO filing and music labels' stake in it. He reviews radio and music stocks' 2017 performance and talks about Carrie Underwood's accident. He asks...why is sexual harassment in country music and radio NOT in the news? He gives us the good and bad of new releases and talks about some highly anticipated 2018 albums. He gives us his dumbass of the year nominee and finishes with a plea to Jamey Johnson to make a new record and one of the best country songs ever...

This week Tom sits with the #1 talent agent in Nashville history....Tony Conway. Tony's incredible career has helped shape the history of country music. He talks about his beginnings in the business and how he ascended to the Presidency of the industry dominant Buddy Lee Attractions, how he and Willie Nelson started the annual Farm Aid festival, managing Alabama and Randy Travis, putting the Highwaymen together...and much more. Tony is a legend and this is a not-to-be-missed episode if you love country music and the country music business.

This week Tom generously and respectively offers some New Year Resolution suggestions to Nashville, radio corporations, local country radio programmers, streaming companies, satellite radio, and country music consumers. He is clearly a very giving man. He finishes with a list of the best country albums of 2017. This is a perfect way to end the year...so don't miss it! Subscribe at insidenashville.net and never miss an episode

This week Tom sits with a brilliant young artist from the UK...Lisa Wright. Lisa talks about experiencing Nashville, songwriting, her idols, the country music scene in the UK, family, and much more. Lisa is a delightful, talented young artist that will surely win you over. Discovering new music and new artists is one of the joys of being a music lover....you are welcome!